- Published 2026.11.10 09:01
Restricting production and sales before main ruling deemed inappropriate
JS Energy avoids shutdown of 70,000-ton Chungju plant
A Seoul court has rejected LG Chem's request for a preliminary injunction against JS Energy, the Korean subsidiary of China's Ronbay, over alleged patent infringement on high-nickel cathode materials. The decision deals a setback to LG Chem's strategy of preemptively halting a rival's key production facilities before the main lawsuit is decided.
The Seoul Central District Court's 60th Civil Division recently dismissed LG Chem's injunction request seeking to ban JS Energy from producing and selling cathode materials. The court said it was inappropriate to restrict JS Energy's business activities when patent infringement has not yet been confirmed in the main lawsuit. LG Chem immediately appealed the decision.
The key issue in the dispute is high-nickel NCM (nickel, cobalt, manganese) cathode technology, which accounts for about 40% of battery costs and determines capacity and performance. LG Chem claimed JS Energy used five of its patents, including those on crystal structure orientation, without permission to produce products. JS Energy filed for patent invalidation trials, and in July 2026, the Patent Trial and Appeal Board ruled four of the five patents valid and one invalid.
With the injunction dismissed, JS Energy has avoided the worst-case scenario of halting cathode production in Korea. JS Energy is the overseas market outpost established by Ronbay, the world's No. 1 producer of NCM cathode materials, and currently operates a 70,000-ton annual capacity cathode plant in Chungju, North Chungcheong Province, enough for about 700,000 to 800,000 EVs. Had the injunction been granted, this massive supply chain could have stopped immediately.
The final outcome between the two companies will be decided in the main patent infringement lawsuit currently underway at the Seoul Central District Court's 61st Civil Division. The lawsuit has been ongoing for more than two years since 2024, with the eighth hearing scheduled for Dec. 18. An LG Chem official said, "The ruling has no impact on other patent litigation cases or our business."
※ This article is an AI translation of the Korean original published by Korea Credit News; it was checked by automated quality guards and published by the English edition desk.
